Fingers Crossed
by iwassixteenonce
Summary: There's a new kid with a well connected past in Mr. Fitz's class. Ezra isn't exactly sure how to handle the situation that comes with him. He just needs a little confirmation. Aria/Ezra


**So I started watching Pretty Little Liars today. To be honest, I'm not quite sure how much I like the show. I _love _Ezra though. Haha. He's adorable. So is Wren, actually. (But as far as he goes, I'm a sucker for a man with an accent.)**

**This was actually a prompt by RebeccaUK. She requested it in the forums so I figured, "Hey. I'm an insomniac. I just watched four straight hours of this show. Why not give it a go?"**

**So here you go. I apologize if the characters seem OOC at all. I'm not too terribly well acquainted with them yet.**

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As students filed slowly into the classroom, Ezra Fitz kept searching the crowd for one in particular. Where was Aria? He'd seen her earlier that day, and it wasn't like her to miss class. One thing he knew for sure, as long as they were involved, she would never ditch English. And yet, as the kids sat down and impatiently waited for the lesson to begin, she still didn't show. Ezra's heart sunk, just a little. As much as he loved teaching, the class period seemed to grow just a little longer in her absence.

The bell rang, abruptly shaking him out of his thoughts. He took the roll call on autopilot, barely even registering the various 'here's and 'mmhmm's after each student's name.

"Jason Williams?" he paused when he reached a name he didn't recognize. "I'm assuming you're new here?"

A sandy haired kid in the back stood up, reaching at least six foot two. He shook his shaggy bangs out of his eyes and gave Ezra a crooked smile.

"Sort of. I just moved back, actually."

Ezra began to speak, intending to welcome him back and ask him where he'd been, but he stopped short when he heard the soft click of the classroom door.

"Sorry," Aria mouthed, smiling at him. Ezra nodded, knowing that he should be playing the part of the stern teacher upset with his tardy student. Aria turned and headed for her desk, but she stopped walking almost immediately.

"Jason?" she gasped.

Ezra frowned. She knew him?

"Oh my god, Aria!" Jason's eyes lit up with recognition. Ezra had to use ever ounce of self control he had to keep himself from going to stand next to her. He didn't like the look that that Jason kid was giving her.

"Miss Montgomery, if you would please take your seat, I would like to start the lesson," he said quickly, motioning towards her desk. She looked back at him, her brunette hair flying out around her.

"Of course, Mr. Fitz," she nodded apologetically. "I'm sorry for holding you up."

Ezra couldn't help but notice that her eyes still sparkled with some foreign excitement. Who was this guy, that she was so anxious to talk to? He launched into his lesson, watching Aria a little closer than he should have. Usually, he could keep his feelings under wraps. It wasn't too hard, most of the time. But watching Aria sneak glances at Jason, and vice versa, was getting to be a little too much to handle. Jason looked at her with an adoration that Ezra knew all too well.

When class was finally dismissed and the students made their way out, he couldn't help but let out a little sigh of relief. That had been the longest class period he'd ever had to experience. He faced the blackboard, sick of his eyes immediately being drawn to her.

"Um...Mr. Fitz?" he heard a female voice from behind him. His heart skipped a beat. He didn't need this right now.

"Yes, Miss Montgomery?" he asked wearily before turning to face her. She stood in front of his desk, expression unreadable. That just made him more nervous. Jason hovered over her shoulder, never taking his eyes off her. Again, Ezra was possessed with the urge to hit him.

"I was just wondering if you were offering any tutoring sessions today. I'm just not getting this unit," she frowned and cocked her head to the side.

"I, uh," he stumbled over his words. This was unusually bold for her, asking for his attention in front of a classmate. "I do think I have a couple openings."

"Any around...a half an hour from now?" she heaved her heavy books into her other arm. Ezra wanted to take them from her, or some other gentlemanly move. Of course, he couldn't, so he got to watch Jason do it instead.

"Let me take these," he offered with a wide smile. "It's just like old times, huh?"

Aria giggled and handed her books to him.

"Yes, that's fine," Ezra muttered in frustration. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have another student I'm supposed to be tutoring in a few moments. I'll be making my way to the library now."

He pushed his way around the desk and past Aria, inadvertently grazing her hand with his. As usual, her touch sent an electric shock up his arm. Internally, he groaned. Why did she have to be so young?

Aria frowned as Ezra left the room in a hurry. Something was bothering him. She knew him well enough to be able to spot that. He'd been acting strange all period, now that she thought about it. She wanted to go be with him now, but Jason was practically demanding her attention.

So what if they'd dated for awhile in junior high? That was long over now. And to be frank, Jason had never been her type. He was sweet, but dumb as a brick. Aria preferred the intellectual type. Like teachers. Like Ezra. He was everything she wanted. Gorgeous, brilliant, outgoing _and _easygoing. He balanced her out in a way that no other guy ever had. Jason had absolutely nothing on Ezra. Too bad the poor boy couldn't know that.

He continued his pathetic attempts at flirtation while Aria was lost deep in thought, counting down the minutes until she could see Ezra again. She wished she could just blow Jason off, but that would make him too suspicious. Besides, she really was excited to see him again. He'd been her best male friend for the majority of her life. Then they started dating in eight grade. But he'd moved almost as soon as they got into high school, forcing their breakup. It was hard to carry on a relationship with someone that was two thousand miles away. He was obviously still interested in her. She frowned. How could she put him down gently without causing a problem for Ezra? Instead, she just changed the subject and soon, they were talking about random things like the weather and what Jason had been up to the last few years. She definitely preferred that kind of conversation. Hopefully, Jason would just notice that she wasn't interested. She kept her fingers crossed.

A half an hour later, just as she promised, Aria made her way to the library. It was nearly deserted and completely silent. The quiet unnerved her. Her footsteps on the tile floors echoed like gunshots. She felt more than a little self conscious as she wandered around, searching for her boyfriend.

She finally found him in one of the cushy chairs in the back of the building, his nose buried in a book.

"Poe," she observed. "That's...grim."

He looked up over the top of the book.

"It's been a grim day. Are you ready for your tutoring session, then?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Oh, I don't know," Ezra tried to keep his jealousy out of his voice. "You didn't happen to bring Mr. Williams with you, did you?"

Aria raised an eyebrow. "No...? Why would I?"

"I booked one of the study rooms," Ezra glossed over her question and stood up, leaving his book on the chair. "We'd better get started."

Aria followed closely on his heels, more than a little confused. As soon as the study room's door was shut behind them, she turned on him.

"What the hell was that?" she burst out. "Are you mad at me or something? What'd I do this time?"

Ezra let out a frustrated breath. "Who is that Jason kid?"

"An old friend. What does he have to do with this?" Aria took a step closer to him. She reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Ezra, what's wrong?"

"Are you interested in him?" he asked, point blank. "Because he's sure as hell interested in you."

Aria could hold back a shocked laugh. _That _was what this was about.

"What?" he frowned in that adorable way that Aria loved so much. "What's funny about this?"

"Are you jealous of Jason?" she asked incredulously.

"I... Well, I..." Ezra couldn't figure out an answer that let him off the hook for that one. "Maybe. Just a smidge."

"Oh, Ezra," Aria said fondly. "I promise, there is nothing between me and Jason. We dated when we were kids. We grew up together. But trust me. He's nothing compared to you."

She leaned up and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"You don't need to worry."

Ezra relaxed a little bit and wrapped his arms around Aria's waist. He wasn't exactly at ease, but he did trust her. What kind of relationship would they be in if he didn't? He kissed her again, weaving a hand through her hair.

"Thank you," he whispered against her lips. She responded with another series of kisses, trying to convey to him just how much she truly did care about him. After all, he was her Ezra. No one could take his place.


End file.
